Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1893, EGYPT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9326, 22 March 1893, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 1893, EGYPT.

It would seem that, despite the prompt action of Lord Cromer, firmly supported by Lord Rosebery, we have nod heard the laat of the Fakrhi episode. The KhndiY«l yielded at the time, dismissed Fakrh Pasha, and appointed ftfaz Pasha, with an outward appearance of good grace, bat) the strengthening of the British garrison went 'on all the same, which was significant of opinions held by the British Government. Mr Gladstone's advocacy of " a policy of scuttle" when out of office no doubtdeceived Abbas, and made bim think that an anti-English demonstration yvould not be resented, and the appointment of Pakhrl Pasha was apparently a " feeler " in tha direction. If so, the result must have been a disagreeable surprise. Since then, however, the native Press has continued to abuse England and everything English. Officially the Khedive, at the request of Lord Cromer, has admonished the conductors of the offending papers, bub no doubt the rebuke was of the nature of those administered to pushing Russian officers in Asia, when harsh words are accompanied by a richly jewelled sword. The tronble with the Khedive is that under British control he cannot get so much as he would like to spend, His father, Tewfik. was a true patriot, and heartily seconded the efforts of the English officials to restore the finances of the country. But Abbaa takes after his grandfather, whose reckless extravagance brought Egypt to the verge of luin, He is a pleasure-loving youth— for he is not yet twenty— who has spent much of his short life in the gayest circles of Paris. Indeed, it is more than hinted in the English papers that & French mistress — no doubt for her own enrlchmeut—is at the bottom of the trouble. Nor is it surprising that in Cairo there should be a strong anti-British feeling. The population there is largely composed of the veritable scum of the earth— the dregs of all nations' rascaljtiee—and there are not wanting displaced officials, robbed of their power to despoil and oppress, ready to incite the populace to revolt. Bat it does seem surprising that the Khedive should be supported in the eonntry districts, which Englishmen who know Egypt assert to be the case. Relieved of much taxation and the hated cat vee, the lot of the fellaheen is a veiy different one to what it wr.9 before the British occupation. But it is the tale of Joseph over again. He had done great fhings for Egypt. Bnt, in the simple language of the 'grand old Book, " Now there arose up a new King over Egypt which knew not Joseph." As it was with the Egyptians of old, so it is to-day, In a recently-published work on Egypt by Mr MJlner he foreshadowe4 the present position. He pointed out that there is now a generation of young Egyptians grown to manhood, like Abbas, since the bombard men c of Alexandria, who do not appreciate all the facts ot our oqcupation, and who burn with an ardent national spirit which knows only impatience of our presence. With an anti-English Khedive —if such he continue to be—counterworking our representatives, and with a population inflammable and hostile, there are materials for trouble enough in Egypt without any help from foreign interference. The injudicious attltuije of the French Press, in continually demanding the evacuation of the country by the British, complicates the position, and is likely to encourage the hot-headed Abbas. If, bpweyer, he doe,s nod bow more gracefully to the British yoke he will have to be taught, as Ismail was, that' Khedives may be deposed and sent into exile.